We have reopened our historic shop at 64 Argentería Street, right in the heart of Barcelona’s El Born district. A complete refurbishment with a very clear aim: to continue offering some of the best speciality coffees on the market, whilst enhancing the experience of everyone who walks through the door.
The refurbishment of the El Born shop has involved a comprehensive overhaul of the space, designed to make it more comfortable, functional, accessible and welcoming. The new facilities encourage interaction between customers and our experts, fostering conversation, personalised recommendations and the discovery of speciality coffees from different origins and varieties. This step forward reinforces Cafés El Magnífico’s role as a leading name in speciality coffee in Barcelona.
That said, there is one thing that has not changed—nor will it change—as a result of this renovation: the connection with the neighbourhood and its residents. It is no coincidence that the Sans family opened their first shop, a grocery store, in 1919 on the corner of Grunyí and Mirallers streets.
Calle Argentería, a location steeped in history
The shop is situated on one of Barcelona’s most historic streets. Calle Argentería, a pedestrianised street with wide pavements, is the natural gateway to the El Born neighbourhood and a place brimming with history and everyday life. Cafés El Magnífico has been part of daily life in El Born for over five decades. Situated between the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar and Plaça de Jacint Reventós, the Cafés El Magnífico shop is part of the neighbourhood’s everyday landscape, amidst the comings and goings of locals and visitors.
That is why the reopening of the El Born shop cannot be understood without its context: a historic space that has been brought up to date without losing its soul.
A classic in El Born that looks to the future without losing sight of its roots
Cafés El Magnífico has been a part of everyday life in El Born for decades. It is not just a coffee shop; it is a meeting place, a space for shared conversation. And that is precisely why the refurbishment of the premises does not represent a break with its surroundings, but quite the opposite: a way of continuing to add value to the neighbourhood and adapting to changing times without losing its identity.
The essence of the neighbourhood business remains intact. The friendly service, the genuine care, the time taken to listen and make recommendations remain the same. That is the spirit that has always defined us.
For Cafés El Magnífico, renewal means looking after what already exists and making it even better.
Speciality coffee, expertise and a warm welcome
Our range continues to be enriched with speciality coffees selected with the same meticulous care as ever, sourced from the finest estates and roasted to bring out their nuances and character. The difference now lies in the in-store experience: more comfortable, more seamless and designed with the customer in mind.
The new design of the El Born shop facilitates interaction with the team at Cafés El Magnífico, true coffee enthusiasts who are always on hand to answer questions, recommend varieties or simply have a chat.
Salvador Sans: “The time has come for the refurbishment”
The decision to refurbish the Argentería shop and close it for a few months was not an easy one. In fact, over the last few years, we have put it off several times. It made us feel dizzy, afraid. There was always a reason, an excuse to put it off. These are the words of Salvador Sans, founder of Cafés El Magnífico, explaining what it was like to embark on the refurbishment.
Since January 1989, when we opened it, Argentería has retained the same structure with only minor aesthetic changes. There are many emotional ties, experiences that you think might be left behind. But our home, our flagship, deserved to be brought up to date, to reflect how we understand coffee at Cafés El Magnífico today. Moreover, it was time for the building that houses us, so old, to reveal some architectural elements hidden by time, whilst we healed some of the wounds that the passing of the years had inflicted on its structure.
When we realised that the wooden lintels above the entrance doors were warping and cracking, we knew the time had come. It was a major project that meant closing the shop for a few weeks to carry out the work, which had been submitted to and approved by the Council’s Heritage Department, and which also involved moving the entrance door back a few centimetres.
We entrusted the project for this El Born shop to Tomás López, who is responsible for the refurbishment of the upper floor where we have the library, tasting and training room, as well as a meeting space.
Restored architecture and renewed accessibility
The refurbishment wasn’t just about structural or aesthetic improvements. We also wanted Argenteria to be a shop that was truly open to everyone. We’ve improved accessibility so that anyone, including those with reduced mobility, can enter and move around the space comfortably. It was something we kept very much in mind: our shop had to be welcoming in every sense.
During the process, original features emerged that had been hidden beneath layers of previous renovations. We decided to restore the old timber that could still be salvaged and to expose the original walls that form part of the building’s history. It wasn’t about erasing the past, but engaging with it, respecting the memory of the place by integrating it into a contemporary vision.
We also chose to use locally sourced quarry stone, that is, stone extracted from quarries near Barcelona. This choice reduces the environmental impact associated with transport and, at the same time, connects the project to the local area. We liked the idea that the materials would speak the same language as the city that has been our home for almost four decades.
It has been a difficult six months; Argentería is more than just a shop to us. Three generations of our family have worked and ‘lived’ here. We have felt out of place during this time, but at last we are returning, closing one chapter and opening another – that of the immediate future, where we hope to continue welcoming you and being your hosts in the world of the finest coffee.
To our regular customers, we would like to thank you for the patience and loyalty you have shown us. Thank you for your support in visiting our shops in Xuclà, Rambla or Illa Diagonal, or by placing orders online. You are a treasure.
We feel proud and fortunate to have enjoyed your support and affection generation after generation, and to meet new customers who wish to savour the fruits of our labour. It moves us to know that our coffee, with its aroma and flavour, fills your homes and accompanies you during countless moments shared with your loved ones.
The Sans family would like to thank the team at Cafés el Magnífico for all the effort, dedication, help and enthusiasm they have put in to make this refurbishment a reality.
We would also like to thank all the tradespeople who carried out the work: painters, electricians, metalworkers and builders. We have been working with them for many years. The mutual personal affection is evident in the work they do.
Finally, a heartfelt tribute to the first two generations of our family who worked so hard to leave this business to us. We are sure that, as the fine ‘botiguers‘ they were, they would love this shop and be filled with pride.
We are coffee roasters; we are “botiguers” based in Barcelona.
